Boy dies at shelter home, another hospitalised

A mentally challenged boy died at the government shelter home for boys on Mohaan Road under mysterious circumstances on Saturday. Another boy of the same shelter home was admitted to the Trauma Centre on Friday night after his condition became critical.

A mentally challenged boy died at the government shelter home for boys on Mohaan Road under mysterious circumstances on Saturday. Another boy of the same shelter home was admitted to the Trauma Centre on Friday night after his condition became critical.

While officials of the home are justifying the death, calling it ‘natural’, occurrence of two major incidents within 24 hours has raised many questions. The post mortem examination report of the child is still awaited.

“The child who was hospitalised was diagnosed with some neurological disorder when he was at the Shishu Grih on Prag Narayan Road nearly a month back. Since he was above 10 years of age, he was shifted to the Mohaan Road home only a month ago,” said Nahid Lari, member, state commission on child rights.

In fact, both boys were shifted to the home on Mohaan Road recently. The mentally challenged boy who was found by the GRP earlier this month was shifted to the home by Lucknow Childline, even though the home is not meant for disabled children.

Sources at the home said that the mentally challenged boy was ill since the morning and when children went to call him for lunch, he was found in a critical condition. “The boy was being taken to the hospital but he died on the way,” said US Malviya, superintendent of the shelter home.

Meanwhile, the other boy in hospital said that he had a fight with a fellow inmate on Friday night and he was hurt in his neck which led to the problem.

It may be noted that there are no homes for disabled children in the state and despite need of special care, such hapless children are left in regular homes which have no provision for specialised care.

In such a case, children who need attention are denied adequate care that leads to worsening of their condition.